Apple, Samsung Patent Trial Kicks Off

By Jeff Gamet

Jul 30th, 2012 11:43 AM EDT

The long awaited patent infringement trial between Apple and Samsung finally started on Monday over mobile devices. Apple is claiming Samsung blatantly stole its iPhone and iPad designs, while Samsung says Apple is trying to use the courts to kill competition.

Both companies are getting right to the point with their pre-trial briefs, according to Fortune, with Apple stating

Samsung is on trial because it made a deliberate decision to copy Apple’s iPhone and iPad.

Apple and Samsung have been fighting in courtrooms around the world over patent infringement complaints for over a year. Both companies claim the other is using mobile device patents without proper licensing, and Apple has also accused Samsung of blatantly copying the iPad’s look and feel.

The back-and-forth leading up to the trial saw Apple successfully blocking Samsung from using quotes from Walter Issacson’s official biography of Steve Jobs where the former Apple CEO said he would go “thermonuclear” to destroy Google’s Android operating system. Samsung, however, failed to get Judge Koh to agree to block Apple from using photos of Mr. Jobs during opening arguments.

Apple is hoping to convince the jury that Samsung is flagrantly copying its ideas with images that show smartphone designs before and after the launch of the iPhone. The differences in Samsung’s designs are stark, and may go a long way in defending Apple’s case.

Samsung has also been trying to stop a temporary injunction Apple won blocking the sale of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet in the United States. After losing two appeals, the electronics maker has been left to see how the trial plays out, which means it could be months before Samsung sees some form of resolution.

The first step in today’s trial will be to pick the ten person jury. That process will likely fill the entire day, so there won’t likely be any time for opening arguments before Tuesday at the earliest.